As soon as he gets up to speak tears come to her eyes, she knows this is hard for him too. She forces a smile to match his, and when he starts to talk she can't hear a word he's saying, so she turns her head to the crowd. Everyone is smiling, happy, but no matter how hard she tries she can't find her happy. Not even on what should be one of the best days of her life. From the time they were kids the whole town was sure they'd get married, even when she just thought they'd always be just friends. The only thing she feels in this moment is pain, so much pain and regret. Pain for the man in the middle of the room talking about love, pain for the man next to her that has no idea what happened while he was away. Because what happened while he was away lit her world on fire, she found herself in finding the man behind the illusion that was his brother. She looks back to the man who's talking about how great of a man his brother is and he catches her stare and she can feel that he knows what she's about to do when he shakes his head. And that's where the regret comes in, regret for how she's about to cause the wonderful man holding her hand pain.
"I am so sorry, I have to go."
She hears the gasps from the guests as she's rushing past them, she makes her way out of the first exit she sees and pauses once she's out the door, the reality of what she just did hitting her like a freight train, and the tears fall. She quickly wipes them away because she can't focus on that right now, she needs to get the hell out of there, so she turns down the main street and begins her walk when she hears him call for her. She starts walking faster, but before she knows it he's pulling her into the alley.
"Elena, what the hell is going on?"
"I can't do this anymore."
"Can't do this anymore Elena? What the hell does that mean? We just got engaged!"
"I know!"
"You know? That's it? Well, what the hell don't I know? Because when I left, we were working on things, and you said you'd wait. So I come home to you, and everything seemed great, I propose and you say yes. Cut to tonight, our freaking engagement party, my brother is toasting us and your mumbling some apology and running out of the room. So why don't you enlighten me?"
"I-"
"You what?"
"I love you."
"Then what's the problem?"
"I love him more."
"You love him? What the hell are you talking about?"
"I am so sorry. I never meant for this to happen. You were away with doctors without borders, and I was here and every time you were supposed to come home it got pushed back. You were gone a year! Life around me was moving on, I felt stuck! And he was there, being my friend."
"I was saving lives Elena!"
"I know that! I know how awful this makes me, but that's been what our whole relationship has been. You being the hero and me being left here. And during this last year, he's been my rock, and I'm even sorrier for that, but because of that I can't marry you."
"Who the hell are you-no. Do not tell me you mean my brother!"
"Please-let me explain."
"Explain? What? That you fell in love with my brother? There is no explaining that. You can both go to hell."
"Wait! Please."
"He's my brother!"
"I tried so hard. I never wanted to hurt you, and neither did he. We both agreed that it was over."
"So let me get this right, I'm off saving lives and your here having a good old time screwing my brother? That's perfect Elena!"
"It's not like that. We never slept together."
"I don't believe you, and right now I can't listen to a damn word that comes out of your mouth. I'm staying with Caroline tonight. I'll get whatever stuff I have at your place tomorrow."
All she can do is nod her head. Because she's solely responsible, she should have told him the truth as soon as he got back, she should have never said yes. Because, no matter how bad it sounded or looked she could never regret his brother. She wipes away her newly fallen tears and makes her way back out onto the main road and goes home to the only real home she's ever known.